June 20, 2013

I love cherries, almost as much as I love chocolate. Not only because they are so sweet, but also because they have always been a symbol of summer for me. Since I was very little they have been my favorite of fruits. I remember asking my mom for cherries when she'd give me an apple in September or an orange in the winter, only to hear her tell me, "They're not ready yet. When school's out, then cherries will be ready."As if I didn't already love these glowing little balls of red delight, now they also meant NO MORE SCHOOL, summer vacation, swimming and sun.

I grew up just a few towns over from Brentwood, CA. At that time, the town had more cherry orchards than people. (Still today, even though many of the orchards have sadly been flattened for housing developments, they grow a lot of cherries.) We'd go to the big fruit and vegetable stand in Brentwood to buy our Summer produce. As we drove up to the big stand, I knew we'd be feasting on cherries. My parents probably bought other stuff, I do remember the sweetest corn on cob and watermelon from that stand, but the cherries were all I cared about. I would plop one after the other in my mouth like I was eating candy. Before I finished, the tips of my fingers would have a dark ruby stain on them from the cherries' juices.

Here I am, years later, and the only things that have changed are my age and my location, instead of CA, I'm enjoying the sun in Provence. It's June, the days are long, the sun is hot, and the sea and swimming are less than 1 hour away. The market is only minutes away on foot, and it has mounds and mounds and mounds of ruby red cherries! I've been buying them almost daily with the intention of baking with them. However, uhm, they seem to be disappearing before I start baking. Those same dark ruby stains on my fingertips are a sure giveaway as to where the cherries went.

Finally, I restrained my cherry-binging habits and made this flourless chocolate and cherry cake, known as a moelleux in France. The name signifies the cake's denseness and moistness. It was my contribution to a picnic at the beach to which Tuula had invited me over the past weekend. Because the cake went directly from the oven to the beach, and then stayed under the sun until we ate it, that cake tended to be more molten than moelleux. Everyone loved it and ate it all up, even asked me how I got it so "coulant" (runny) in the center.

Here's the big "secret:" it was the heat. So, I've made a little notation in the recipe: if you would like this cake's center to be flowing more like lava instead of solid, bake it for less time and serve it warm. And because it's really really rich (and realize a chocoholic with a twice-a-day chocolate dependency is telling you it's really rich), a sour cherry compote goes well with the cake. The tartness and acidity of the compote work as a balance against the richness of the cake. This cake was so easy to make, I didn't even bother getting out the stand mixer. A whisk and one bowl, well you also need a double-boiler, was really all I need to put it together.

Tuula is as crazy about the markets here in France as I am. She's even taken me to some hidden treasures during my previous visits, like the Wednesday market in Sanary-sur-Mer; the seaside village and its Wednesday market shouldn't be missed. Pre-picnic we found ourselves in Sanary (they have a daily food market) and neither of us could resist the cherries. Tuula also made a very yummy blend of sweet & savory for her cherry dessert. Check out her twist on the classic dessert:

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan and place a circle of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan .

Preheat an oven to 310 F (160 C)

In a double boiler on low heat, slowly melt the chocolate and butter just until both have melted. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, Kirsch and chocolate mixture until all ingredients are homogenous. Whisk in the almond flour until it is combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the next egg once the previous one has been completely whisked into the batter.

Pour half the batter into the springform pan. Add all the cherries, reserving about 15 halves for the top. Pour in the remaining batter and add the remaining cherry halves to the top. Press them down lightly, so that they are just below the batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes.

Note: Depending on your oven and how molten you’d like the center, bake for 40-45 minutes for a very soft and lava like center. (The center will still jiggle when you move the pan.) For a less molten but still moist cake, bake it closer to 50 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the center will have a light coating of chocolate when removed.)

You can let this cool completely or serve it still warm. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with a cherry compote and/or a chocolate ganache sauce. Bon Appetit!

Join me in Provence for Pastry-Making Classes - half-day classes or a week-long pastry-making vacation. Along with pastries, we're offering many other cooking classes, and one includes a tour of the market. See the Cook With Me in Provence page for all the details!